Circle Unbroken
by Cardinal001
Summary: Following on from Burial At Sea Episode 2. Is this the end of the story? (Contains spoilers for Burial At Sea Episode 2)


**Disclaimer: Bioshock Infinite owned by Take-Two Interactive Software**

**WARNING: Spoilers for Burial At Sea Episode 2**

**Unbroken Circle**

Elizabeth knew she was dying. Even if she hadn't seen it happen in a vision, the blood running freely down her face was a clear indication. She felt no pain though, which surprised her - after being struck hard twice with a wrench she would have expected to feel something. Perhaps it was shock? Didn't matter. It would all be over soon. She had played her part. _It's all up to you now Jack._

Sally crouched down in front of her and held her hand – her tiny fingers barely able to fit around Elizabeth's own. Elizabeth wanted to tell her that it would all be okay, that someone was coming who would rescue her, that she would be finally free and able to live a normal life, but she didn't have the strength to speak. Instead she smiled reassuringly as the darkness finally claimed her.

Her final thoughts were of one who had gone before. _Booker, father, I'm coming._

Then, nothing.

…

A bright flash, and Elizabeth's eyes shot open and she took in a sharp breath. Her body shot upright as her mind tried to make sense of what had happened.

Where was she? She was on a long table in what appeared to be a normal room. The walls were lined with wood panelling and there was a single door. She was surrounded by what seemed to be fairly complex apparatus, the purpose of which she could only begin to guess at, but it did give her a clue as to who owned the room.

"Rosa-" she started, her voice croaky. She coughed to clear her throat and tried again. "Rosalind? Robert? Are you there?"

The door opened to reveal, as expected, the Lutece twins. They entered the room together, already in the middle of one of their unique discussions.

"So the wave form was constant..."

"Which gave us a viable trace..."

"And a place to extract from the timestream..."

"With almost zero impact on the causality segment in question..."

Elizabeth's head was hurting, although she suspected that was due to whatever had happened to her rather than trying to follow what the brother and sister were saying. She held up her hand. "Please. What happened? Where am I? How did I get here?"

"So many questions!" Rosalind said.

"Where to start?" Robert asked.

"At the beginning of course!" Rosalind replied.

"And stop at the end." Robert concluded.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I died! I was dead! Atlas hit me with that wrench! And now I'm here?"

Rosalind helped her to sit properly on the table as she spoke. "Well, yes and no. Yes, you died, and no, you didn't die."

Robert smiled. "Trust us, we're experts on the subject."

Elizabeth didn't understand. Her confusion must have shown in her eyes as Rosalind sighed. "We knew Atlas was going to kill you," she said, We wouldn't have left you without a way out."

"Just don't ask how we did it," Robert cut in, "We're not entirely sure ourselves."

"But it worked and that's all that matters." Rosalind got up and moved to another table. "Something to drink? Tea?"

"But what about Sally? And the other girls?" Elizabeth asked.

Robert moved over to her. "They were saved by Jack, just as you saw. It was a close thing though. In many realities, he harvested them and tried to take over the world. Not in the reality you... recently left though."

Elizabeth blew a sigh of relief. At least it hadn't all been in vain. But she still had more questions. "Where are we?" she asked.

"We're nowhere." Rosalind replied, handing her a steaming mug.

"And everywhere." Robert added.

"Actually, we're not too sure ourselves." Rosalind didn't seem bothered by this at all.

"Think of this as a place in between realities." Robert nodded in satisfaction.

"So, what happens now?" Elizabeth asked, not really understanding but letting it go.

Rosalind stood up. "That's really up to you."

Robert moved to stand next to her. "Everything is possible here. You can go anywhere, be anything."

"So perhaps the question to ask is not where you are..."

"But where do you want to be?"

Elizabeth looked down, thinking about that. Where did she want to be? She thought about everything she had been through. But most of all she thought about Comstock, who had cruelly snatched her from the life she should have had, and about Booker, the one who had enabled her to become more than she had been.

"I want..." her voice broke. She tried again. "I think I want... to go home."

Robert and Rosalind looked at each other for a few moments. Then they started to talk quickly to each other.

"We could send her there..."

"We've done it before..."

"It'll make him happier as well..."

"Which is always a good thing."

As one, they turned to her. Rosalind came over to her. "Lie down, Elizabeth. Relax, and close your eyes," she instructed.

Robert came around to her other side as she did so. "We're sending you home," he said, smiling at her.

…

December 31st, 1899

"Come on, big sis! It's this way!"

Elizabeth allowed herself to be dragged through the crowds by her younger sister, Anna. After much begging, bargaining, cajoling and a suspiciously well-practiced synchronised puppy dog stare, the two girls had convinced their parents to bring them to Paris for New Year's Eve. The two senior DeWitts were enjoying a brief rest while Anna and Elizabeth went exploring.

Elizabeth looked down at her sister. Anna was pulling her along by her right hand. She had never been bothered by the slight deformity covered by a silver thimble – the result of a long-forgotten accident when she was a baby. Elizabeth looked up to see they had arrived at their destination. A shooting gallery.

"Win me that one!" Anna pointed to a large fat stuffed crow. The thing looked hideous to Elizabeth's eyes – a big black hulking thing – but she could see that Anna was very taken by it. Elizabeth paid the stall operator with a handful of coins and picked up the rifle.

Three shots, three targets hit. Anna clapped gleefully as the operator handed her the crow – or songbird, as he called it. She hugged it close to her as Elizabeth took her hand and prepared to leave.

She turned round and collided with a young man. The force of the impact threw her backwards to land painfully on the ground.

The young man was immediately apologetic. "I'm sorry, miss. That was my fault." He bent towards her and offered his hand.

Elizabeth was quick to forgive. "I'm alright, thanks," she said as she took his hand and let him help her up. When she was standing again she took a good look at him. He was tall, fair haired, wearing a light brown jumper. Looking down at his hand she saw he had small chain tattoos on the inside of his wrists. _Must be a sailor or something_ she thought. She looked up at his face to see him staring at her. He caught himself and looked away bashfully. Elizabeth smiled.

"My name's Elizabeth. Pleased to meet you."

The young man replied with a slight stammer. "I'm... my name's Jack. Jack Ryan."

An insistent tugging at Elizabeth's blouse made her look down. Anna obviously wanted to go. Elizabeth suddenly realised she was still holding Jack's hand and she hurriedly let it go. "Well, it was nice meeting you Jack," she said, taking Anna's hand again.

"Yeah, same," Jack responded, "Maybe I'll see you later on?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I'd like that." She led Anna back to where their parents were waiting. Anna was talking about how much she was looking forward to the fireworks. Elizabeth looked back at Jack. He was still standing there staring after her. She gave him a quick wave and he grinned. Then the crowd swallowed him up. Never mind, she'd find him later.

…

"What?"

"You know what! Her and Jack!"

"It wasn't me!"

"It wasn't YOU, or it WASN'T you?"

"Yes! No! Possibly..."

"They haven't even met each other yet!"

"Well now they have. You know how tricky these things can be. Anyway it always seems to work out in the end."

"I suppose you're right."

"I usually am."

"So now what? Are we going to bring Zachary Comstock into this little family as well? Maybe as the grandfather?"

"Well there is that one who was at Rapture... maybe he could..."

-SMACK-

"Okay, okay. You know how much I like happy endings."

"I give up. Where to now?"

"I don't know. Maybe some other hidden city that shouldn't really exist?"

"Shut up."

The twin's bickering was slowly drowned out by the noise of the crowds around them. Meanwhile, Anna and Elizabeth and their parents looked up along with the rest of the crowd as the first of the fireworks exploded in the sky. It was the start of a new century. A new beginning for all.

* * *

**A/N So I wrote this one because I didn't like the ending to Burial At Sea Episode 2. It's really a companion piece to A Better Home Awaiting. I wrote that one because I thought Booker deserved a better ending. I wrote this one because I thought Elizabeth NEEDED a better ending. So yeah, here it is. Hope you enjoyed it.**


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